


careful with his heart

by Green



Category: Teen Wolf (TV)
Genre: Angst with a Happy Ending, Canon Typical Violence, Consent Issues, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Uncle/Nephew Incest, Warning: Jennifer Blake
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-01-18
Updated: 2020-01-18
Packaged: 2021-02-27 12:06:49
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,011
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22306888
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Green/pseuds/Green
Summary: When Peter tracks his nephew back to someone else's apartment and finds him in a heated embrace, he knows something is wrong. Really wrong.
Relationships: Derek Hale/Peter Hale
Comments: 47
Kudos: 392





	careful with his heart

**Author's Note:**

> some unasked/answered questions here but hopefully nothing that wil pull you out of the (admittedly short) story.

Derek is careful with his heart, and while he might throw his body in the middle of a fight if it means protecting someone, he's cautious with it when it comes to sex. Intimacy doesn't come easily to him, a lesson Peter's learned well.

So when Peter tracks his nephew back to someone else's apartment and finds him trapped in a heated embrace, he knows something is wrong. Really wrong.

"Derek," Peter says lowly. Derek turns his head at the name, but his 'companion' pulls him back in.

"I'm sorry, we're busy," she says. "Get out."

The room stinks of dirty magic.

"I don't think so," Peter says, and closes in, not giving the witch — or whatever she is — time to act. 

Two quick swipes of his claws. 

Now she's lying on the floor in a bloody pool, and Derek is blinking away whatever spell was on him. Peter looks him over, at the slowly healing wounds and wonders how far the bitch got before he interrupted.

Derek turns bewildered eyes toward him. "Peter?"

"Come here, pup," Peter says, as soothing as he can be.

Derek obeys and stands in front of him, wincing. "Where are we? I don't remember…" He trails off when he registers the body. "She said she was going to help."

He smells more hurt than the injuries warrant, and it's clear he remembers something he doesn't want.

When Peter touches Derek's face, his nephew flinches, and Peter wishes he'd made the woman suffer. "Let's go home," Peter says.

Derek nods. "Sorry," he mutters.

Peter frowns. "You've done nothing that needs an apology."

"I kissed her," Derek says in a small voice, sounding young and vulnerable.

"She magicked you," Peter explains slowly. "It wasn't your fault."

Derek blinks and shakes his head, not saying more. He still smells guilty and hurt, though. Peter's first priority now is getting Derek back home so he can spend as much time as he needs taking care of Derek.

* * *

"I'm sorry," Derek repeats once Peter has him home. "I can't explain it, she just…" He hangs his head.

"She was powerful," Peter says. "It is not your fault. I promise."

There's some hope in his eyes now. Derek asks, "You forgive me?"

"Baby, there's nothing to forgive."

Peter tries to take Derek in his arms, but Derek feels reluctant. He pushes back, head down again. "I need a shower."

"Can I ask… how far did she get?"

Derek shakes his head. "Just kissing, but… she touched me. She had. I was injured. She…" He doesn't say what else, or maybe he's said enough. He shudders. "I really need a shower."

"Do you want company?" Peter asks.

Derek looks conflicted. He obviously doesn't want to be alone. 

"I can keep my clothes on and stay in the bathroom with you," Peter suggests.

Derek gives him a frustrated pout. It's a good thing Peter's so good at reading him, or he'd have no idea what he wanted. 

"Okay, I can join you in the shower, if that's what you want."

"I can't…"

"Nothing has to happen. Just let me be there for you."

Derek's relieved then. He nods, his muscles loosening a little.

The first thing Peter does is check Derek's wounds. They've healed, but the shirt is ruined, and there's blood still staining his skin. That'll wash away in the shower, so Peter gets to work.

It's not until Derek's soaped up and leaning against Peter in the shower that he loosens even more. Then, when Peter washes his hair, he goes practically limp, back to Peter's chest.

"Good pup," Peter says. "That's right. Just let me take care of you."

Derek always loves having his hair washed or even just played with. It relaxes him and makes him feel loved. Always has.

Once Derek's clean of the witch's scent and the soap has been washed off him entirely, Peter helps him step out of the shower and towels him off. Derek doesn't need help, of course. He's a grown-ass man who can take care of himself, all alone if he has to. But he's done that too much in the past, and Peter's still making up for lost time.

"Thank you for rescuing me," Derek mumbles as Peter is drying his hair and the towel is flipped over his eyes.

Peter moves the towel up and gets the sense memory of doing just that to a much younger Derek, one who liked playing peekaboo with his uncle. The thought makes Peter smile fondly.

Derek smiles back.

"You know I'd do anything for you," Peter says.

"You always have," Derek says. He tugs Peter in for a hug, and Peter's proud of him for initiating it. "I love you."

Peter hums and leads Derek out of the bathroom and over to his wardrobe. He picks out the softest t-shirt he owns and a pair of underwear Stiles bought him as a gag gift. The boxers have howling cartoon wolves and glow in the dark full moons as a print, and while Derek rolled his eyes when he got them, Peter knows Derek secretly loves them. 

Sure enough, Derek looks happy once he's dressed, and Peter quickly covers himself. Then he points to the bed. "Why don't we lie down?"

"It's early still," Derek says, biting his lip.

"You're allowed a nap and some cuddling with your favorite uncle."

Derek looks at him and nods. They end up snuggled close, scenting each other, under Derek's softest blanket. 

"You know you're more than just my favorite uncle," Derek says quietly.

"And you know everything you mean to me," Peter says. But, in case Derek needs to hear it today, "I love you, pup."

Derek murmurs his own feelings against Peter's chest and Peter tightens his arms. 

Derek doesn't sleep, but he does doze a little, smelling content.

Peter doesn't sleep either. His wolf is hypervigilant after close calls. Peter probably won't be able to sleep for some time. But he can rest, and there's nowhere better to do so than right where he is.


End file.
